Yeah, there's been a lot of cross-polination. Since day One. I was first aware of the phrase "world music" when reviews of Paul Simon's "Graceland" appeared. While I like the album, he wasn't the first person to be influenced by other cultures. On the JMDL, I said something like "Joni was doing world music before the phrase was invented." I guess all of us who "get it" know that. Karen expressed it nearly the same way in her bio.
Lama RR wrote: >>The 'world music pioneer' tag doesn't really ring true. Josephine Baker in the '30's. Carmen Miranda in the 40's. Stan Getz and Herbie Mann brought Brazilian music to the mainstream in the early 60's. Harry Belafonte's "Banana Boat Song", Trini Lopez' "Lemon Tree". Even Sinatra did two LP's with Jobim. Santana crossed latin music with rock in 1969, while Joni was 5 full albums away from using the Barundi drums. Simon & Garfunkel's "El Condor Pasa" used a Peruvian band in 1970. There is even a short reggae- style break in The Beatles "I Call Your Name" from 1964. Miles Davis' "Bitches Brew" in 1969 fused jazz and African influences..in the world of jazz, using African and Latin influences was old news; Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente,,,fingers getting tired....>>
